THE BRITISH BUDGET

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3179, 3 May 1909, Page 5

THE BRITISH BUDGET

| GRANT FOR AFFORESTATION. EFFECT OF THE PETROL TAX. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright. LONDON, April 30. The Budget includes a sura of £200,000 to promote afforestation, a similar sum for a new Agricultural Development Department, and £IOO,000 for labour exchange buildings. The rebate on petrol is three halfpence, not one halfpenny, in the case of commercial vehicles. It is stated that the tax represents £7 16s on a taxi-cab per annum, and and £ls 12s on a motor 'bus. Private cars will hereafter pay from twice to twenty times the amount of former license.

"A TRIUMPH FOR SOCIALISM." Received May 2, 4.30 p.m. LONDON, May I. Owing to the liquor licenses beer has been increased in price a halfpenny per pint and spirits a penny per glass. There is a heavy fall in omnibusmotor shares. The Unionists in Parliament have appointed four committees to prepare a report and amendments to the Budget. It is considered that Mr LbydGeorge utterly ignored the balance between direct and indirect taxation in order to serve party purposes. There are several complaints that the Budget is conjectural as to the yield of revenue. It is persistently reported that Mr Lloyd-George anticipates a large surplus in 1910, enabling tli3 removal of considerable taxation. He will then appeal to the country. Mr C. F. G. Mfcsterman (Liberal M.P. for West Ham North), at Stratford, said that the Budget was the biggest instrument social reform has ever devised, and it was a triumph for Socialism. Every glass of whisky drank adds a halfpenny for Dreadnoughts.